By: Karen Steinberg
Photo Courtesy of the Artist
Q) How would you describe your sound?
A) Lately, I’ve been using the term cinematic pop, which feels like the most accurate way to describe the blend of epic orchestral sounds and modern pop elements that I started exploring with this album. As I’ve continued writing and recording music, I’ve found myself diving deeper into this sound, using live instruments to create a more dramatic, cinematic feel while sticking with a more pop songwriting style to keep the mainstream foundation.
Q) Who are some of your musical influences?
A) I have a wide range of influences, to be honest. I grew up as a theater kid, so the storytelling and drama of musical theater has always had a large impact on my music. Phantom of the Opera was the first movie I ever saw and remains one of my favorite productions to this day, so I always have to cite it as a big influence. I also love classical music and movie scores, especially ones by Hans Zimmer, John Williams and Jean-Yves Thibaudet, who bring so much emotion and drama into their music without using a single word. I love artists like RAYE, Rosalia and Bad Bunny who are constantly trying new things and experimenting and creating genuine, engaging music.
Q) Talk about the story behind your new song “Crush!!!”
A) “Crush!!!” was written shortly after I moved to LA, when I desperately wanted some excitement and fun in my life to contrast the chaos of moving and the challenge of meeting people in a big city. Whenever I was feeling lonely at the time, I would put on super energetic pop music and dance around my room, so I wanted to capture that feeling and create a song that listeners could dance to whenever they needed a little fun.
Q) What do you think it is about the song that fans connect to?
A) My favorite thing about creating music is knowing that other people can connect with it, so getting such a positive response to “Crush!!!” has been truly so exciting. Everything about making this song was pure fun, from the writing all the way to the filming of the music video. I like to think that we were able to capture some of that fun and carefree joy in the elements of the song and that’s why it has resonated so much with listeners.
Q) The video is brand new! How does it play into the message behind it?
A) The music video for “Crush!!!” was originally based off of a scene from Audrey Hepburn’s Breakfast at Tiffany’s, in which she’s sleeping in her apartment with her adorable cat before being awoken by her very attractive new neighbor. I absolutely adore Audrey Hepburn and have always looked up to her style, poise and sense of self. She always talked about authenticity and being true to oneself, and that’s ultimately what I attempted to capture in this music video.
Although on the surface the video is very silly and playful, the underlying message is that I’ve come to accept who I am, a crazy cat lady, even if others judge me for it. Ultimately, my cat Liza symbolizes all of the interest and passions I possess and how I’ve been able to overcome my self-consciousness surrounding them; how I’ve come to be proud of and explore the things that excite me, despite what other people may think. I don’t care if people call me a crazy cat lady because I know that I am one, and proudly so!
Q) “Crush!!!” is off your album HOPE YOU’RE WATCHING. What are some themes you explore on the album?
A) This album is basically a diary, each song a journal entry describing a moment in my life. While there isn’t one central story or mood that ties all the songs together, the foundation of the album is honesty. It encapsulates the truth, the messiness, the silliness, the heartbreak and the joy of trying to figure out the adult world as an 18/19-year-old.
Q) You write or co-write all of your music. What is your song writing process? Do you need music before you can create lyrics?
A) Songwriting has and continues to be such an exciting process for me because there is no one way to go about it. Every song requires something different and is created in a slightly different way, so I never get bored with it. When I’m songwriting for myself, it’s a chance for me to explore my inner thoughts, to work through my feelings and discover what excites me. It’s a very introspective, personal process for me and often happens alone in my room. In contrast, songwriting for others is a chance to explore new genres and delve into the style of the other artist. Writing for and with others is something I’ve had to really learn and practice over the past few years, but it’s been so rewarding and fun to expand my songwriting outside myself and my familiar genres!
Q) How much of a hand do you have in the production of your music?
A) I love the production process and always try to be pretty involved with it because the production of a song is just another opportunity to continue to tell the story. On this album, I worked closely with my producers, Simon Jay and Luke Shrestha, to create songs that truly told stories and felt accurate to each experience. I loved working with them because with each song they pushed me to go outside of my comfort zones with the production and explore new aspects of my artistry.
Q) My favorite tracks on the album are “Break My Heart” and “National Boyfriend Day.” Do you have any tracks that hold a special place in your heart?
A) Honestly, I love them all deeply for different reasons. This album is basically a diary, each song a journal entry describing a moment in my life. Each of these songs was something I’d written when I needed to express myself and process experiences I’d had. That being said, the title track does have a special place in my heart because it’s perhaps the most honest I’ve ever been in a song. As soon as I wrote “HOPE YOU’RE WATCHING,” I knew that it was the final puzzle piece of the project, the track that had captured the feeling of why I had written this album.
Q) What songs off this album are you looking forward to performing live?
A) Literally all of them!! I can’t even begin to express how much I love performing and how excited I am to get to play these songs live! There is something so uniquely special about getting to perform a song and watch people’s reactions in real time, to see how it makes them feel and how they react to it. That’s ultimately what drew me to music in the first place: the connection. And live performance is one of the few ways that I’m able to connect with others in real life, not just through social media or streaming platforms.
Q) What do you hope listeners take away from listening to HOPE YOU’RE WATCHING as a whole – either as a message or emotion?
A) I hope that listeners feel the honesty. I hope they get a sense of the truth, the messiness, the silliness, the heartbreak and the joy. I hope they feel that it’s real. I hope the album inspires listeners to hold onto their truths more tightly, and be authentically themselves, as loudly and dramatically as possible.
Q) Where are some of your favorite places to perform and what makes those locations so significant to you?
A) I love performing anywhere and everywhere. Hotel Cafe is one of the first venues I played when I moved to LA, and all of my friends and family were able to come to that show, so it was definitely a special experience. A goal of mine is to someday perform at The Oracle Arena in Oakland, which is my hometown arena and a venue where I attended countless shows growing up. The Bay Area is such a special place and I feel so lucky to have grown up there, so it would mean a lot to me to get to perform there one day!
Q) As someone who loves theater and classical films, is there a dream stage performance you would love to be a part of?
A) I think it would be the highlight of my life to perform in a stage production of “Phantom of the Opera.” It has some of my favorite songs and captures the beautiful tragedy of love so well, even though I cry every time I listen to the soundtrack or watch the movie. While it would probably be incredibly challenging, I grew up doing musical theater and was trained classically, so it would be so much fun to return back to my musical roots.
Q) Who would you most like to collaborate with on a song in the future?
A) One of my all time favorite musicians is Hans Zimmer and it’s been my dream to one day collaborate with him. Not only does his music embody the sense of drama and grandeur that I adore, but also a sense of real feeling and raw emotion that is sometimes difficult to capture in music, especially without any lyrics. I was able to attend one of his concerts in 2024 and cried pretty much the entire time because of how moving and emotional each piece was. Once I got over my fangirling, I would absolutely LOVE to collaborate with him.
Q) What artist/musician are you currently listening to and why do you dig them?
A) I currently have RAYE’s album THIS MUSIC MAY CONTAIN HOPE and ROSALÍA’s LUX on repeat! I deeply admire artists who take risks with their music and experiment with weird sounds and different genres, which is the case for both RAYE and ROSALÍA. Their projects combine so many different elements and are so engaging that I never get bored of listening to them!
Q) What would you like to say to everyone who is a fan and supporter of you and your work?
A) Thank you SO much for supporting and listening. It is such a dream come true to create and share music with you all and I can’t wait to keep making more. This wouldn’t be possible without you all!